1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjuster, a frame and a vehicle, and more specifically to an adjuster, a frame and a vehicle capable of adjusting a positional relationship between the frame and suspension assemblies.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposals for four-wheel vehicles having a ground clearance adjusting capability.
For example, US 2007/0267837 A1 discloses a golf cart, which includes a pair of front wheels, a support arm extending in the vehicle's width direction, a pair of frame members extending in the fore-aft direction, and a pair of sub-suspension assemblies. The support arm is placed above front end portions of the frame members, and is supported by the frame members via a pair of structural members.
Each of the sub-suspension assemblies includes a damper (strut assembly), a knuckle bracket and an arm. Each of the front wheels is rotatably supported by one of the knuckle brackets.
The pair of dampers in the pair of suspension assemblies have their upper end portions pivotably supported by two end portions of the support arm. The pair of dampers have their other lower end portions connected to their respective knuckle brackets.
The pair of arms in the pair of suspension assemblies have their inner end portions, in the vehicle's width direction, pivotably supported by front end portions of the pair of frame members via U-shaped members, etc. The pair of arms have their other outer end portions, in the vehicle's width direction, connected to their respective knuckle brackets.
The support arm includes a first hole and a second hole at each of their two end portions to support an end portion of the damper. The second holes are located at a lower position than the first holes. Therefore, if the second holes are used to support the dampers, it is possible to increase the vehicle's ground clearance, i.e., a height of the frame members from the ground surface, as compared to the case in which the first holes are used. With such an arrangement as the above, it is possible to adjust the golf cart's ground clearance by selecting from the first holes and the second holes depending on the front wheel diameter.
As described above, according to the golf cart disclosed in US 2007/0267837 A1, the ground clearance is adjustable by changing the position at which the pair of dampers are installed in the support arm. However, changing the position at which the dampers are installed sometimes significantly changes camber angles of the front wheels (tires). In this case, wheel alignment settings must be changed accordingly.